Core winding apparatus



March 14, 1961 B. E. DAVIS 2,974,890

CORE WINDING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 13, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I f0 /2 I I i 79 I M: Hrh' lrii I r v 77 l l a i 5/// flO'V/J INVENTOR.

March 14, 1961 B. E. DAVIS 2,974,890

CORE WINDING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 13, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

March 14, 1961 B. E. DAVIS 2,974,890

CORE WINDING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 13, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 5/ //5 f. 170 VA? INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent CORE WINDING APPARATUS Billy Eugene Davis, 7119 Langdon St., Houston 36, Tex.

Filed Sept. 13, 1956, Ser. No. 609,616

Claims. (Cl. 242-4) This invention relates to core winding apparatus and particularly to apparatus for winding ring-shaped cores which are usually circular but which may be of non circular ring form. The cores primarily contemplated are endless or unbroken, so that it is necessary for the windings to be wound through the central opening of the core, but it is equally suitable to wind cores of the open or broken type by utilizing the essential features of the invention.

A principal object of the invention is to provide apparatus for winding ring cores, either circular or noncircular, and either unbroken or broken.

Another object of the invention is to provide such apparatus which can be operated unattended or substantially unattended.

Another object of the invention is to provide such apparatus which will wind a continuous single wire or strand upon the cores.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for winding cores whereby the windings are of uniform regular distribution upon the cores and of uniform tensionr A still further object of the invention is to provide core winding apparatus of low cost, yet having superior operating characteristics to produce satisfactory windings regardless of the form of the core.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred core winder according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the core winder shown in Figure 1, taken at a plane through the centers of the bobbins and core;

I Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken at line 3-3 of of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken at line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figures 5 and 6 are axial sections of the bobbin ends at opposite sides of a bobbin, showing, respectively, the hinged and locked bobbin end connections.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the apparatus is mounted upon a flat base 10, shown in the drawings as a flat rectangular metal plate. Base 16 may be mounted upon any suitable support 11, such as a floor or table. A housing 12 is in the form of a rectangular open box at its lower part, and has an upwardly formed central part 14 which serves to support the upper parts of the apparatus.

A pair of bobbin rings 15, 16, are rotatably supported in urged-together relationship at the'upper part of the apparatus above support 14. Support 14 has concavely curved upper ends 18, 19, each formed by dishing out the upper edge of the plates forming the sides of support 14, there being an opening 21 between the side plates and the curved upper ends 18, 19, which receives the bobbin rings and extends therebelow into housing 2,974,890 Patented Mar. 14, 1961 12 (see Figure 4). Two shafts 22, 23, extend across opening 21 just below curved ends 18, 19, and spaced apart toward the front and back, respectively, of the curved ends. Two pulleys 25, 26, are rotatably mounted partly Within opening 21, pulley 25 being carried on shaft 22 and pulley 26 on shaft 23. Pulleys 25, 26, each have a gear formation 28, 29, respectively, at one side by means of which the pulleys may be rotated.

A curved cover 30 extends pivotally over the upper sides of bobbin rings 15, 16. Support 14 extends upwardly behind ends 18, 19, to provide a pair of spacedapart lobes 31, 32, which receive lower lobes 33, 34, formed at the back sides of cover 30, therebetween. A pin 35 through lobes 31 34 permits pivotal movement of the cover 30 about its back end. Cover 30 is in the form of a curved channel, the open side facing opening 21 of support 14, and the sides 37, 38, of the cover being curved equally with the curvature of the top edges 18, 19, of support 14 so that the bobbin rings are encircled except at an opening 40, or mouth, opposite cover pivot 35. A pulley 41 is mounted on a shaft 42 between cover sides 37, 38, at the upper part of the cover, there being an upper recess 43 to receive the upper part of the pulley. The bobbin rings 15, 16, flushly side by side, are rotatably supported between the three pulleys 25, 26, 41, the pulleys, Figure 4, being of a form and size such that the bobbin rings do not engage the hubs of the pulleys, but are held between the angular sides of the pulleys away from the pulley hubs. This permits the bobbin rings to be urged together by simply urging together the three pulleys or by urging one of the pulleys toward the other two of the pulleys.

.A bobbin tension adjustment is provided by a bolt 50 having knurled head 51, which is threadingly received through a flange 52 extending outwardly of the rear of cover 30. A flange 53 is similarly formed at the back of support 14, at a position opposite flange 52 across pivot 35. A collar 54 on bolt 50 engages the upper end of a helical compression spring 55, the lower end of spring 55 being held in place against the upper surface of flange 53 by a lug 56 formed on the upper face of flange 53. Spring 55 biases flanges 52, 53, apart, thereby biasing cover 30 downwardly against the bobbin rings, and the degree to which cover 30 is biased downwardly is adjustable by screwing bolt 50 upwardly or downwardly through flange 52 to decrease or increase the compression of spring 55. In this manner, pulley 41 is adjustably urged downwardly toward lower pulleys 25, 26, so that bobbin rings 15, 16, are supported and held flushly together by-by-side with adjustable force.

Referring now particularly to Figures 2-4, a larger gear 60 supported on a'shaft 61 through the sides of support 14 engages both gear formations 28, 29, of pulleys 25, 26, respectively. A motor 62 within one end of housing 12 drives a shaft 64, the end of the shaft away from the motor being journaled at a journal formation 65 at the opposite end of the housing. Motor 62, usually an electric motor, is conveniently bolted to base 10 so that shaft 64 is adequately supported at both of its ends. Below gear 60, a smaller gear 66 carried on shaft 64 engages gear 60, so that when motor 62 is operated to rotate shaft 64, gear 60 is driven to drive gear formations 28, 29, of pulleys 25, 26, in the same rotational direction, whereby the bobbin rings 15, 16, are rotated in a stationary position between pulleys 25, 26, and 41. Shaft 64 also carries, between gear 66 and journal 65, a bevel gear 67 which is engaged with and drives a bevel gear 68 carried on short vertical shaft 69 journaled in base 10. Below gear 68, shaft 69 carries a cam 70, which is in the shape of a heart. Engaging cam 70 is arm 71 of sector gear 72, sector gear 72 being rotatively mounted on a vertical 3 shaft 73 journaled in base 10. Sector gear 72 is biased by a helical spring 85 to move in a counterclockwise direction to keep the end of arm 71 against cam 70 regardless of the position of cam 70. The lower end 'o fspring 85 is secured to base and the upper end to the underside of gear 72 to produce the biasing action. Gear 72 engages a gear 74 to rotate shaft 75, the lower end of which is also journaled in base 10. Shaft 75 has at its upper end a radially extending arm 76, at the outer end of which there. is a vertical leg 77 having an arm 78 extending therefrom above arm 76. A pin 79 through leg 77 engages the lower end of a compression spring 80, the upper end of spring 80 engaging the lower side of an arm 81 which is mounted slidably of the length of leg 77 below arm 78 thereof. Spring 80 urges arm 81 upwardly to- ,ward arm 78, and is strong enough to support a core 82 held between the arms 78 and 81.

Referring now to Figures 2, 5, and 6, each of the bobbin rings 15, 16, is formed of two half rings 83, 84, each of the half rings being a semicircular rod or tube. The ends of two half rings '83, 84, are joined together in the manners shown in Figures 5 and 6 to form each of the bobbin rings and 16, the bobbin rings being identical. At one side of each bobbin ring the half rings are joined as shown in Figure 5. A generally cylindrical plug 86 :having a groove 87 therearound near one end and an identical groove 88 therearound at its other end is inserted halfway into an end of each of the half rings 83, 84, so that plug 86 bridges the ends. The ends are pressed or crimped to enter and conform with grooves 87," 88, 'as at89, 90, respectively, so that the ends are joined in a manner whereby relative axial motion is prevented but each end may be twisted or rotated with respect to the other end, the crimps 89, 90, sliding around in grooves 87, :88. At their other ends the half rings 83, 84, are joined as shown in Figure 6. A cylindrical boss 92 having one hemispherical end 93 is inserted at its flat end 94 about halfway into one of the half ring ends, shown inserted into an end of half ring 84 in Figures 6 and 2. The edges of the flat end are spot welded intothe tube end as indicated at 95. The diameter of boss 92 is' such that the boss is tightly received into both of the half ring ends to form a somewhat rigid locked joint. The hemispherical end 93 of boss 92 is inserted into the end of half ring 83 and may be removed therefrom to open either bobbin ring so that the bobbin rings may be inserted into center openings of endless ring cores.

Referring now to Figures l-Z, a spool 97 of wire 98 having a rod 99 inserted through its axial opening is 'rotatably supported by means of the rod in any suitable binrings 15,16, at their back side. 7

To wind an endlesscircular ring core-such as core '82 shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the core is-s'upported at one 'end of its sides between arms 78, 81, in the manner heretofore described. The length of arms 76,78, 81 ,should be such that the center of core 82 is above and in line with the axis of shaft 75 about which the arms pivot so that core 82 when rotated will belturned about its center.

In addition, the bobbin rings 15, 16, should rotate through the center of the core. The bobbin ri'ngs are opened at their 'jointsjat bosses, 92 for insertion through the center opening of the'continuous core. The-lockjoints at bosses 92 'mfa'ybe at a common point aroundthe peripheries of thehobbin rings ias shown, or may be at diflerent points thejbobbiii rings" not being connected together many way but merely ressed to ether Side by side. "The end "of wire 98 is run through cover opening 101, inserted between bobbin rings 15, 16, run down through the center opening of core 82, out through ring 16, and is fixed beneath the head of a screw 103 screwed into an inclined face 104 at the upper front edge of support 14. This initial position of wire 98 is indicated by dashed line 98a in Figure 2. Since the function of the wire end fixed beneath the head of screw 103 is obviously only to hold the wire end taut against the tension of the wire caused by pulling the wire between biased-together bobbin rings 15, 16 to start the winding, the wire end may be cut loose or released from beneath the head of screw '103 after a few turns of the winding have been made in order to avoid interference. The apparatus is shown with the wire end thus removed from interfering position in Figure 4 of the drawings.

When motor 62 is started, shaft 64 is rotated in a clockwise direction as seen in Figure 2, and pulleys 25 and 26 are rotated in the same direction by gear 60. Bobbin rings '15, 16, are turned in a counterclockwise direction, Figure 2, by pulleys 25, 26. At the same time the, cam 70 is rotated by gears 67, 68, in' a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figure 3. Rotation of cam 70 moves sector gear 72 back and forth as arm 71 engages points around the periphery of cam 70 at difierent distances from shaft 69. It should be noted that the circularly curved geared end 106 of sector gear 72 may be as longer as shortas desired to give the desiredrotation to gear. 74 and arm 76. Geared end 106 is'shownv ashaving an angularlength of about 50?. about shaft 73, but it is to be understood that the angularlength of geared end 106 of gear 72 may be made greater or smaller as desired. The angular length of 50 will sufi'ice for winding about 'of the circumference of core 82, since gear 72 has a radius about three times the radius of gear 74, and geared end 106 will rotate gear 74, arm 76, and core 82 about 150. a

Housing 12 has cut-away portions 108, 109, in its sides to allow gears 72 and 74 to move freely, and has arcuate openings 110, 111, in its top to allow arm 76 to rotate to positions against support 14. Therefore, a circular core such as more 82 can be wound over substantially all of its circumference, the practical limit being a winding over about 340 of the circumference of cor'e'82-bccause of the space occupied by support 14.

With wire 98 arranged as heretofore described in its position 98a, motor 62 is started. The wire .98 is held tightly where it "passes between bobbin rings '15, 16', because of the urging together of the ringsover their entire peripherie's'by pulleys 25, 26, 41'.As'soon as bobbins 15, 16, have been rotated about'90, wire 98.a"ssumes the position 98b, wire being pulled betwe'enthe bobbin rings because of the fixed wire end at screw .103. At thesame time wire from spool 97 is wound onto the outside of the bobbin rings, being held thereon within the curved-sided angle between the bobbin rings, as shown at 120,; 1 21, Figure 4, -Wire 98 is always taut between core--82 and the point at which wire 98 is being pulled-between the bobbin rings, the wire being pulled through continuously as the winding progresses and kepttaut because-of the 'urging'togethe'r of the bobbin rings 15, 16; :As the bob bin rings continue to rotate, the wire. winds round and round-the moving core and after a time wire'98 pulled between the bobbin rings will come to a position such as 980, there being a plurality of layers'of'wire wound onto the core. As the winding progresses, wire 98 is wound onto the outside of the bobbin rings 15, '16, at a faster rate than the wire is pulled between the bobbin rings to he wound onto the core. Therefore it is possible to dis continue winding wire onto the outside of the bobbinrings before th'ecore winding is completed, wire stored on the outside of the bobbin rings being used to complete the core windings." Generally, however, it is expedient to let wire continue to accumulate on the outside of the bobbin rings until the corewinding is complete,-the accumulated wire later being rewound onto spool 97 or used in some other way.

The rates and manners of rotation of bobbin rings 15, 16, and core 82 may be varied by suitable changes in the motor, gears, and cams in housing 12. The bobbin rings are usually rotated rather fast, so that only a short time is required to complete a core winding.

Core windings approaching the inner diameter of bobbin rings 15, 16, can be wound since the bobbin rings occupy only a small space at the core center and are preferably made of about the same diameter as the core to provide outer core clearance. When a very thick Winding is made, the rate that wire is wound onto the core approaches the rate of wire accumulation on the outside of the core since the winding diameter approaches the bobbin ring diameter.

As sector gear 72 is moved back and forth by cam 70, to rotate core 82 back and forth during winding of the core, the winding is evenly and tightly wound over the part of the core circumference moved through the bobbin rings, the part of the core circumference being moved therethrough being capable of variation as already described. The part of wire 98 extending between bobbin rings 15, 16 and screw 103, if not freed, would interfere with the part of the wire drawn from between the bobbin rings if core 82 were continuously rotated in one rotative direction. But, as indicated above, the winding is done over about 150 sections of the core circumference at a time, the complete winding being thus wound -a part at a time so that the described interference can be avoided.

It will be obvious that since the apparatus, once started, continues to operate until the winding of a core portion 'of 150", or other size, is complete, that one person may easily operate a number of core winders by himself, this making the winding of cores very inexpensive. There is no necessity for having a number of people attending to the winding of cores, since one person can simultaneously operate twenty or more core winders of the type herein described.

Winding of continuous cores of varying sizes and of split or openable circular cores with the described apparatus is done in substantially the same manner heretofore described for unbroken continuous cores and requires no additional comment. When straight bar cores or cores of other forms are wound, modification of the apparatus as will be apparent to a person skilled in the art is required to hold or movingly hold the cores in position during winding.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, many modifications thereof may be made by a person skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to protect by Letters Patent all forms of the invention falling within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Core winding apparatus, comprising circular bobbin means including a pair of circular bobbin rings disposed fiushly side-by-side in touching relation completely therearound but movable apart at any point by an elongate strand drawn longitudinally of the length of the strand therebetween, means yieldingly biasing said bobbin rings together fiushly side-by-side, means for rotating said bobbin rings simultaneously about their axes while so biased, means for holding a core through the center openings of said bobbin rings of said bobbin means, and means ineluding a strand source for feeding an elongate strand onto the exterior periphery of said bobbin means, said strand, when drawn between said bobbin rings and fixed relative the core, being drawn continuously longitudinally from said exterior periphery of said bobbin means be tween said rings to be wound about said core as said bobbin rings are simultaneously rotated by said rotating means.

2. In a core winding apparatus having a core holding means including means for reciprocatingly moving a toroidal core held thereby through the center opening of a toroidal bobbin means, an improved bobbin means comprising a pair of circular bobbin rings each including at least one releasable joint for opening said bobbin means for disposition thereof through a said core and disposed fiushly side-by-side in touching relation completely therearound but movable apart at any point by an elongate strand drawn longitudinally of the length of the strand therebetween, means yieldingly biasing said bobbin rings together fiushly side-by-side, means for rotating said bobbin rings simultaneously about their axes while so biased, and means for feeding an elongate strand onto the exterior periphery of said bobbin means, said strand when drawn between said bobbin rings and fixed relative the core being drawn continuously longitudinally of its length from said exterior periphery of said bobbin means between said rings to be wound about said core as said bobbin rings are simultaneously rotated by said rotating means, said biasing together of said bobbin rings causing continuous uniform longitudinal tensioning of said strand wound onto said core.

3. The combination of claim 2, said ring rotating means comprising a plurality of pulleys engaging said bobbin rings and spaced around the outer periphery thereof with the pulley axes parallel with the center axis of said bobbin rings, said pulleys being of the angular grooved-rim type whereby each side of the pulley groove urges one bobbin ring toward the other bobbin ring when said pulleys are biased against the outside of said rings, said ring rotating means also comprising means for biasing said pulleys against the outside of said rings and means for rotating at least one of said pulleys to cause rotation of said bobbin.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said rings are tubular, the biased together sides of the rings acting to maintain tension on said strand as said strand is wound onto said core, a strand source operably associated with said rings, the space formed between the outer sides of said rings providing strand accumulation space into which the strand is wound from said source as the bobbin rings rotate, the strand'being pulled between the rings to be wound on said core at a slower rate than the strand is wound from said source into said accumulation space at the outside of said rings.

5. The combination of claim 4, said strand being wire, and including means for fixing the starting end of said wire adjacent said core before the core is wound.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 1,603,801 Potter Oct. 19, 1926 1,827,186 Borgeson Oct. 13, 1931 2,387,570 Ewaldson Oct. 23, 1945 2,430,106 Conklin Nov. 4, 1947 2,672,297 Harder Mar. 16, 1954 

